Roses and Wolfsbane
by Thorn on a Rose
Summary: It starts out slowly, and then Belle begins to see something there. Ruby cannot hide behind her hood or the wolf this time. Femslash. RedBeauty. AU-Canon Divergence.


Disclaimer: I do not own these characters - Disney owns everyone, even you.

ON WITH THE STORY

* * *

It was a swift walk between Granny's Diner and the boarded up building that the waitress, Ruby, had said was the town's library. Reaching the front doors, Belle half-heartedly twisted the knob and gave a tug, not expecting the doors to be unlocked and not surprised when she was proven correct.

Humming under her breath, Belle looked up at the clock which ticked another minute, before she strolled along the building to the boarded windows. Disappointment pursed her lips when the wooden slats proved to be well fixed to the window frame and too close together to peek through. The next two windows were just as tightly shut but the last window was the one she had hoped to find.

Teal eyes lit up in excitement as Belle approached a broken slat of wood at the bottom left corner of the window. Bending at the waist a little, Belle tried to peer into the library but dust and grime had gathered on the glass pane obstructing her view.

Pulling back Belle allowed her hand to reach through the opening and tried to brush a small patch of dirt off the window so she could see in. Her fingers and palm were blackened from rubbing the glass but when she brought her eyes back to the opening it was clear enough to see the rows of metal stacks full of books.

A broad grin blossomed on Belle's lips and her heart gave a quick tattoo of excitement. She couldn't get in today but surely someone in town would have the key; and once she found who she would just have to work some of her charm to gain entrance to the library. Years spent imprisoned and without a thing to read had cultivated a severe thirst for words that Belle knew could be satisfied if she could just find a way inside the library.

Stepping away from the window, Belle glanced one more time at the clock tower. It was nearing the noon hour and, although she had a modest breakfast before she left Rumple's and stumbled into the diner for a drink, Belle was getting hungry.

'_Some iced tea would taste great right now, but I wonder if Granny has venison?'_

Mind made up that she would figure out her next step after she filled her belly, Belle twirled around and began to walk back towards the diner.

Just across the street Ruby was crouched before the diner's sidewalk sign writing on the small blackboard that graced the front just below the 'OPEN' letters. Belle watched her new acquaintance for a moment, taking in the gracefully folded frame of the tall woman.

The princess was admiring Ruby's cheek bones when bright green eyes flicked up from the board and locked on her own. Belle felt her face flush lightly in embarrassment over being caught staring but Ruby flashed Belle a wide toothy grin and waved a little 'hello'. Cheeks still aflame, Belle smiled back, biting her lower lip as she gave a shy wave in return. Ruby tilted her head to the side, giving the impression of asking a friendly question. Belle looked down at her heels in thought before raising her head and quickly nodding at Ruby while patting her growling stomach. Ruby seemed to perk up and bounce on her heels a little bit as she beckoned Belle to cross the street.

Their smiles were bright as Belle nodded again and took a few steps towards the curb, but before she could cross a man caught her attention from behind.

"Excuse me, but are you Belle?" He asked.

Belle took a moment to assess the scruffy-looking man, making sure that she did not recognize him from the Enchanted Forest. "Yes, I am," she replied then waited for him to introduce himself.

"Oh, good. Just wanted to make sure." He moved faster than Belle had time to process his intent and her scream came out too muffled to really be classified as anything other than a groan. His other hand had caught and twisted her arm behind her back painfully causing her to lurch forward in an attempt to alleviate the sting in her wrist and shoulder. "You're coming with me."

His muggy breath felt foul on her cheek and Belle threw her head to the side to try and knock him away. She blinked away the pain in her temples from that stunt but, while her captor cursed as his jaw ached fiercely from the impact, he did not loosen his grip. Belle began to struggle in earnest, alternatively kicking his shins with her heels and throwing her weight around to slow their progress.

His curses grew in number until he finally freed her mouth to grab her neck. "If you don't stop making a fuss, I'm gonna knock you out instead, princess!" He spat out between gritted teeth. His hand squeezed harshly in promise, choking Belle and filling her ears with the roar of blood throbbing in her head as her circulation was slowly being cut off.

Abruptly, Belle felt her body fall from her assailant's grip and she dropped to the concrete gasping for breath and forcing her shocked body to scramble away. A low voice full of threat and deadly intent washed over her ears and caused to her eyes to look behind her at her kidnapper.

"…will never again approach her or I will kill you."

Ruby, sweet Ruby who had given her an endless supply of iced tea, a place to live while she sorted her life, and a goal to strive for, had never seemed dangerous; but as Belle watched the woman one-handedly lift the thug off his feet and suspend him by his neck in the air, she had never been so awed in her life.

Eyes that had once been the color of the summer grass now shone a flat gold as Ruby watched Belle push herself back up on her feet. Nostrils flaring in anger, Ruby asked in a gravelly voice, "Are you okay Belle?"

Rubbing the forming bruises on her neck, Belle winced when she swallowed and only nodded in answer. By this time the would-be kidnapper's struggles to get away had weakened exponentially. Hanging almost limp from Ruby's hand he moaned and whimpered, pleading breathlessly to be released and promising to stay far away from the princess. Just before he blacked out, Ruby heaved him into the library's brick foundation and watched with a sneer as he slid down to the sidewalk unconscious.

"R-ruby…"

Tearing her eyes off of her prey, Ruby quickly drew near Belle and brushed her fingers gently over the mottled purple wrist of the hand the attacker had twisted.

"Are you alright?" Ruby repeated.

Tears re-gathered in Belle's teal eyes blurring the blue and green hues into a swirl of pain and fear. Belle shook her head then clutched at Ruby's red shirt and pulled herself into the taller woman's arms, sobbing. The gold faded from the waitress' eyes, leaving a heavy olive green behind. Firmly, Ruby held Belle to her chest and allowed the tears to flow into the cotton of her shirt, whispering reassurances and unconsciously laying kisses on the crown of auburn curls below her chin.

"It will be alright, Belle. You're safe. I won't let anything happen to you." Ruby's voice lost the growl and was back to the sweet cadence she had used in the diner when she first met Belle.

Small hiccups and nods were interspersed between tears and sobs until the shorter woman calmed down enough to look up at her savior.

"Thank you, Ruby." Belle's voice was throatier than usual and her accent thicker with her stuffed nose.

A pair of lips descended and planted a kiss on Belle's forehead in response. "Come on. I'll treat you to the best lunch ever and a dessert of your choosing."

Ruby kept one arm wrapped around Belle's shoulders as she waked with her to the diner; but instead of going in the front door, Ruby nudged Belle to the alleyway beside the diner.

"Let's go in the back door and freshen up," she suggested.

A nod and self-conscious swipe across her eyes were all that Belle gave in answer. Ruby pulled open the swing-back door and led the way in, glancing around to make sure Ashley or any of the other part-time waitresses were not there. She did not want Belle to feel on display.

"Here." Ruby pointed at the sink then turned to snag a clean hand towel from the pile near the washer and dryer. The squeak of the faucet knobs precluded the rush of the tap water hitting the sink basin.

Ruby turned, cloth in hand, to see Belle bent over the sink and splashing water on her face. The sapphire dress hugging Belle's curves swayed provocatively at the hem with every movement of its owner. The waitress felt a bit hypnotized as she witnessed the unconscious beauty displayed by her new friend and only snapped out it when the faucet knobs squeaked again.

Moving to Belle's side Ruby pressed the cloth into her seeking hand then stepped away again. "Feel better?"

Belle peered over the white towel at the hopeful expression in Ruby's hesitant smile. "Yes," came her muffled reply as Belle finished wiping her face free of moisture.

Lowering the cloth to her neck, Belle caught the last few drops dotting her throat. Ruby's eyes zeroed in on the soft stretch of skin being presented as Belle tilted her chin up.

'_Delicious.'_ The thought fluttered as Ruby swallowed the saliva that flooded her mouth and forced her gaze elsewhere.

Belle finished drying her neck and lowered her eyes to find Ruby fiddling with the pile of folded towels and sheets on the dryer.

"Where shall I put this?" Belle held out the used cloth to Ruby who tossed it into the basket on the ground next to the washer. She smiled when Ruby then swept into a bow and waved an arm toward the door leading into the diner.

"Your lunch awaits, my Lady."

Gathering up a part of her skirt, Belle curtsied back. "Thank you, Miss."

Rising from her curtsy, Belle stepped into Ruby's personal space and placed a hand on the taller woman's shoulder. Lifting up on her tip-toes, Belled placed a chaste kiss on Ruby's cheekbone.

"Thank you, Ruby, for saving me."

A shiver crawled up Ruby's spine the moment Belle's lips touched her skin, but it was the whispered gratitude that brought a blush to her cheeks. Opening up her eyes, Ruby gently leaned forward and pressed her mouth to Belle's forehead.

"I'm a sucker for a damsel in distress," Ruby joked to lighten the mood a touch.

A snort of laughter erupted. "Then you will find no other damsel who needs more rescuing than me." A slightly guilty look crossed Belle's face alongside a blush. "I tend to find a lot of trouble in my adventures," she mumbled as she backed out of Ruby's space.

Leaning in conspiratorially, Ruby whispered as if imparting a secret. "To tell you the truth, I am trouble."

Ruby winked and Belle laughed.

A growl of hunger interrupted the moment but their light-hearted banter returned the good feelings they had cultivated together the first time they met in the diner.

"Someone's hungry," Ruby smirked at the blushing woman. "Let's get the 'beast' fed and I'll show you your room so you can relax this afternoon."

The two women entered the diner and Ruby patted the stool in the middle of the bar, closest to the swinging gate where Ruby entered to continue her duties as waitress. "Would you like to see a menu?"

The seated brunette shook her head. "Pick something for me please."

Ruby flashed her signature broad grin and pulled out her pad and pen, swiftly writing something down before ripping out the page and thrusting it through the rectangular hole in the wall behind her.

"Hey, Tia! One Ruby Special, please."

A soft drawl replied from the back. "You got it, Sugar."

Ruby turned to face Belle again. "Your food will be out soon. I need to get back to work before Granny finds me slouching."

Laying a hand over the two Belle had neatly folded on the countertop, Ruby smiled softly. "If you get bored just call me over and I'll come to talk with you for a bit."

Belle nodded and observed as Ruby left the counter to clear away a table. Piling the dishes and cups, Ruby expertly balanced all the china before pocketing the tip and striding to the kitchen to load the dishwasher. Belle watched the waitress repeat the process twice more before a family entered the diner and greeted Ruby while she led the two kids and father to a booth.

When Ruby came back to the bar this time Belle called out her name. The waitress immediately dropped the rag she was using to wipe down the countertop further down the bar, and walked over to her guest.

"Need something?"

"May I have a glass of iced tea, Ruby?"

Mirth stretched across Ruby's lips and made her eyes a brighter green. "Should I be worried about this new addiction of yours?"

Leaning on her elbows, Belle grinned at her friend. "Very worried if you won't supply me any longer. I would have to take my business elsewhere."

A helpless belly-laughed bubbled out of the waitress. She liked the wit and fire of this woman very much and felt slightly out-of-control in her presence. She had not felt this way since…forever. And she liked it.

Belle's eyes widened with innocence when Ruby accused her of using strong-arm tactics. But with a flourish Ruby presented a tall glass filled to the brim with ice and tea. Moments later she also set down a large plate covered in food.

Belle recognized the sausage links and slices of toast but the large brown cakes and little pitcher of sauce were foreign to her. Ruby noticed and pushed the small white pitcher closer to Belle's silverware.

"I usually pour the maple syrup over everything, but generally most people like the syrup on the pancakes - those round discs there." Ruby pointed at the flatcakes as she spoke.

Belle took a second to dip her finger in the syrup and taste it. Her eyebrows rose in surprise as the cloying sweetness coated her tongue. "Yum," she hummed then lifted the pitcher and dumped the entire contents over everything on the plate. Ruby chuckled and left the woman to her lunch, checking in on her every once in a while and sharing some conversation before returning to the diner floor to work.

Granny came back from bookkeeping at the Inn to see Ruby teasingly withholding a piece of pie just out of the reach of a young woman she had never seen before in either this world or the old one. Watching for a spell, sharp blue eyes took in the playfulness exhibited by both her granddaughter and the stranger along with the smiles they shared. Granny Lucas allowed her stern visage to relax into an almost smile. She was glad her granddaughter seemed to have made a new friend who did not have an evil queen hunting her.

And, truth be told, the manic energy that only surrounded Ruby when she was in love was a welcome sight to Granny. Ever since Peter, Ruby has stayed as far away from love and romance as she could. Her wild days under the curse did not count. But the scene evolving before the shrewd old wolf suggested that time has gone a long way to heal some deep wounds.

However, Ruby was on duty and should not be flirting from behind the counter on her dime.

"Ruby! Those orders are not going to take themselves, girl! Get back to work!" Granny barked out.

Ruby shot up and out onto the floor with a carafe of coffee to refill cups and take more food orders. "I'm going! I'm going!" She tossed over her shoulder.

Belle giggled, amused to see her tough and sassy friend basically run away from the older woman who had appeared from the back of the diner.

"And who are you, young lady?"

Belle almost choked on air when the full force of the elder woman's focus turned to her. "Um!" Belle felt her back straighten and her fingers fold over one another. "I'm Belle."

Granny's eyes narrowed. "That accent…You're from the Western Kingdom."

Belle was slightly taken aback at the blunt observation but took it in stride. "Yes. And you and Ruby are from the Forest lands to the North."

Granny gave a curt nod then decided she had heard enough about the past; time to suss out the future. "So, how did you meet my granddaughter?"

Visibly brightening, Belle told Granny everything up to this moment today. "It all started with my third iced tea…"

Granny did not interrupt at any point but she will admit to tensing when Belle mentioned Ruby dealing with the mugger. It reminded her that the Moon would be full soon and the Curse no longer negated its effect on the Wolf. Belle continued and ended with her thoughts on Ruby's response to Granny's orders.

"That girl is a handful," Granny shook her head ruefully. "But that is because she's of my blood."

It seemed like an odd thing to say but Belle paid it no mind and just smiled. "I'm so glad I met Ruby. So, even if she can be a bit childish…EEK!"

A cold, wet hand unexpectedly dropped on to her neck and dipped down the back of her dress. Belle's torso shot forward in an arch that thrust her chest into the counter edge and her butt to the front edge of her stool.

"Whaha - ha - ha! 'Childish' huh?" Ruby withdrew her hand from Belle's soft skin and backed away quickly anticipating exactly what happened next.

Auburn curls whirled in the air as Belle whipped around and stepped off her seat. Ruby immediately found a pair of snapping teal eyes glaring into her dilating ones and a warm body pushing her own back.

"You, Ruby Lucas, are extremely childish and," pointing her finger into the prankster's breastbone, Belle continued, "just for startling me, you owe me an answer."

Belle finished with arms crossed and a firm stance that reminded Ruby greatly of Snow White when she was being stubborn. _'Must be a princess thing,'_ Ruby mused.

Granny watched, amused, as Belle backed her granddaughter up and made Ruby throw her hands up, palms out, in surrender.

"Ask away," Ruby smiled.

"The library. Who has the key for it?" Belle's stance relaxed but Ruby's smile faded from existence and both she and Granny tensed.

"The library, and pretty much the rest of this town, is owned by Mr. Gold," Granny bluntly stated.

Misinterpreting Belle's gasp of realization for one of shock, Ruby added, "You can always ask for access but try not to make deals with him. He's not exactly the most charitable landlord."

Belle sighed at the harsh but apt description of the Dark One. "Rumpelstiltskin. I am familiar with him," Belle acknowledged but used her words to disguise exactly how well acquainted she is with the magic user.

Sitting back on the stool, Belle put her chin in her palm and contemplated how badly she wanted access to the library. Since she essentially 'broke up' with Rumple she was very reluctant to ask him for anything, afraid to take advantage of his affection for her.

"Oh well," she sighed. "Maybe I could ask Regina if she might be able to…" Belle trailed off at the twin grimaces she was given. "…or not." The situation and two looks were altogether funny enough that Belle giggled. "Never mind."

Picking up her empty glass, Belle rocked it enough that the ice inside clinked. "I would love another glass, Ruby."

The waitress wriggled her eyebrows and smirked. "What a lush! This is your third this afternoon and sixth today. I'm going to have to cut you off and insist you grab a room at the Inn tonight."

As Ruby took the empty glass away from the pouting woman, she brushed by Granny and subtly mouthed _"please"_. Granny grunted in response, masking her huff by turning away and calling out to Belle over her shoulder.

"Come on. There's a room available just down the hall from Ruby."

As much as Belle appreciated Ruby's offer of a place to stay, she knew that she could not impose for long without giving something in return. "I don't have any money," she let Granny know as she followed the silver haired woman into the connected bed and breakfast.

Waving a dismissive hand in the air, Granny just rounded the front desk and pulled out the key to the room she promised. "We can always use an extra hand in the early morning. Ruby is pretty useless during those hours. I have her cover the late shift instead, and one of my best workers recently had a baby so we'll come to an agreed trade of hours for room and board."

Belle smiled and clutched the metal key to her chest. "Thank you, Granny. I'll work hard," Belle promised.

Granny left Belle in front of her door and told the new resident to take it easy for the rest of the day. "Ruby will probably be up to bug you later. Don't let her in if you don't want company. You had a busy day."

Just smiling, Belle knew she would never turn Ruby away but the rest of Granny's advice sounded like the perfect way to relax and reflect on her current circumstances. _'Tomorrow I will ask Rumple about the library and snoop around to find out why that man tried to kidnap me.'_

For now, Belle turned down the covers of her bed and kicked off her heels before lying out and succumbing to a well-earned sleep.

* * *

Time seemed to crawl for the rest of the day at the diner, but the last half hour was especially excruciating. Ruby about tore her hair out when the dwarves showed up. They never leave at closing time.

Sliding the last mug of beer down the bar top, Ruby looked Grumpy in the eye and laid down the law. "Last round. We close on time tonight."

The bearded man with a perpetual scowl just scoffed and took a long pull. "Hot date, sister?"

Leaning over the counter Ruby leveled Grumpy with a serious look. "On. Time."

Grumpy's nostrils flared as his natural inclination to be contrary died in the face of those gold eyes. "Alright, alright. We'll leave after this round."

He grumbled a bit more into his mug but Ruby chose to ignore his accusations of being a moody bitch in heat and went back to her closing time duties. All chairs and tables were wiped down and in place for tomorrow morning by the time the seven men abandoned the diner for a late night perch at the other local watering holes. Ruby swiped the tip from under six of the seven empty mugs and pocketed the money to count later. Ten minutes passed and the lights were finally turned off and the door locked.

Glancing around and mentally running through the closing checklist, Ruby could no longer wait and dashed out of the diner and into the bed and breakfast her Granny owned. Ignoring Granny's warning to be quiet Ruby took the stairs that led to her hall two at a time only stopping to take a breath when she was standing less than a foot from Belle's room.

'_One good thing about the Wolf's return, I can find anyone by their scent,'_ Ruby absentmindedly admitted to herself as the scent of roses and tea lingered in the air and wafted from under the door. The waitress knew it was late and knew that is was impolite to disturb guests at night but she really, really wanted to see Belle again.

If only to at least say goodnight.

*Knock**Knock*

"Belle? You awake? Will you let me in?"

A rustle of sheets preluded a short curse when some body part smacked into the bedside dresser. "Coming. Just a minute." Belle's voice sounded heavy from sleep and Ruby felt a small twinge of guilt for waking her but the click of the deadbolt and swing of the door replaced the guilt with excitement.0

"Hello Ruby." Belle greeted sweetly while trying to cover a yawn.

"Hi!" Ruby grinned toothily.

Belle waited to see if Ruby had anything to add to the conversation but she could see that her friend had not planned far beyond just saying 'hi'. It was adorable and Belle held back a giggle at the thought of Ruby as a puppy - eager to play but unsure of what to do first.

"Come on in and I'll put on some tea for us."

Ruby needed no other prompting and followed Belle into the little kitchen area and sat at one of the two chairs at the small dining table. The ease with which Ruby made herself comfortable caused a warm bubbly feeling to fizz in Belle's chest. It had been so long since she offered tea to anyone that having Ruby here to share this moment made it all the more special.

While the kettle heated on the stove (Ruby had to show her how the knobs worked to get the fire started), the two women sat facing each other next to the window that opened to the town square and talked.

"So…I heard Granny say you are from the Western Lands. That's where the Ogre Wars took place, right?"

Nodding solemnly and letting out a sigh Belle rested her cheek in her palm so she could look out the window at the street lamps just blinking into light.

"Correct. I was there when the ogres were finally defeated and peace returned to my home."

The faraway look in Belle's eyes caused Ruby to hesitate before asking her next question. "Did you…know that guy who tried to kidnap you? Was he from your home?"

Shaking her head, Belle turned sad eyes to a frowning Ruby. "No. I did not recognize him at all." Clenching her hands on top of the table Belle's eyes narrowed in determination. "But I will find out who he is and who sent him. He knew who I was, Ruby." Belle opened her palms to look at them, lost in thought. "No one knows who I was except for a handful of people. And none of them would have needed to send a thug to kidnap me."

A loud cracking sound startled Belle and brought her gaze back up to Ruby. The waitress was sitting ramrod straight and trembling from every heavy breath she took in an effort to calm down. Her eyes flashed between gold and a dark, stormy green, and where her right hand gripped the edge of the tabletop a splintered crack split the light grain of the wood.

Belle observed her friend, watching as the tall woman visibly worked to contain her anger. When Ruby finally let the table go and refocused on her companion, she found a pair of teal eyes focused on her face. Feeling a blush of shame crawl up to her cheeks, Ruby ducked her head and fiddled with her fingers.

"Ruby…"

Flinching a bit in anticipation of the questions she really did not want to answer, Ruby just tilted her head and flicked her eyes up to Belle for a moment to let her know she was listening.

"Are you free tomorrow? I would not mind having company while I search for answers."

Jerking her head up to stare at a gently smiling Belle, Ruby was thrown for a loop. That was not what she had expected to hear.

"But, what? Uh, sure…?" she stammered. Taking a steadying breath and letting it out to stop her mouth from rambling, Ruby tried again. "I mean, yes. I would feel better if I was with you when you find this guy."

Belle's smile quirked up higher in unspoken thanks, then she rose from her seat to grab the whistling kettle off of the burner. Letting the water steep the tea, Belle searched for cups among the cupboards. Tsking in disappointment when she did not find a pair of cups behind the third door she tried, Belle stood back and put her hands on her hips staring around the kitchen to see if she could find a place where her dinnerware might be hiding.

A chuckle from behind alerted her to Ruby's presence. "Down here, Belle."

Crouching before the bottom cupboard next to the refrigerator, Ruby reached for the plain white tea set that was housed within. When she rose to her feet, little tray full of cups and sugar bowl in hand, Ruby found a blushing Belle quickly averting her eyes to the waiting kettle of tea.

"*Ahem* Thank you, Ruby."

A sympathetic flush fought to rise in her own face but Ruby's grin won out. "No problem."

The two women were quiet, only the movement of water and clinking of china accompanied them back to their seats. As they sipped their tea, Ruby could not help but wonder why Belle did not ask about her obvious differences displayed multiple times today. Draining the last of her drink in one gulp, Ruby decided Belle's reasons for not asking did not matter. They were friends, no doubt now, but new ones and secrets could be kept a while longer as they got to know each other better.

Getting up and stretching out the kinks from a long day on her feet, Ruby announced it was time for her to leave. "We both need sleep and tomorrow will be an exciting day."

Setting her cup in the sink for tonight, Ruby turned around to find Belle trying cover up a yawn between protests. "It's *yawn* not that late, Ruby. You are welcome to stay a little longer."

Grabbing the rest of the used dishes from the table, Ruby rinsed and set them in the sink for Belle to take care of later. "Thank you for the tea and company, Belle."

Nodding in acquiescence to the end of the night, Belle followed her guest to the door and found herself swept up in a hug.

"If you need anything, or you get scared tonight, just call for me. I'll hear you." The soft reassuring voice in her ear was the perfect remedy to her latent fears of someone trying to get to her tonight.

As if sensing the effect her words had on the shorter woman in her embrace, Ruby shared a bit more. "Trust me. No one would dare enter this den to harm you. If Granny did not introduce the intruder to her crossbow, I would be there to greet them with my teeth. You are safe here."

Inhaling deeply, catching the scent of Ruby deep in her lungs, Belle nodded and released her grip on the red shirt she had been clutching. "I trust you. Good night, Ruby."

The waitress smiled. "Good night."

Belle closed and locked the door then stripped from her wrinkled dress, laying it over a chair to air out. "Another item on my list - clothing," she murmured as she shut off the overhead light. Rumple had a few articles of clothing she could probably buy from him later, but she knew from the way Ruby dressed that serving food will be a little too messy for her nice dresses.

Leaning back until she tipped over, Belle curled up on the mattress that caught her fall and let her mind wander over the events of her day, especially focusing on her new friend and the mystery clinging to Ruby like a second skin. There is something Ruby hides but alludes to often. Belle's exhausted brain did not have enough energy to solve the puzzle of her friend so she set aside the oddness and focused on the kindness shown to her today.

Teal eyes finally closed, shutting Belle off from the waking world and ushering her into the land of dreams where a forest rose in her vision, a full moon lit the sky, and a wolf with beautiful golden eyes rested under her hand.

* * *

Breakfast was an introduction to French toast topped with strawberries.

Ruby's jaw dropped when she returned five minutes later to top off Belle's glass of iced tea and found her plate completely empty.

"*Hiccup*!" Belle's face grew a little pink as she delicately sipped her refreshed glass of iced tea. "Delicious," she simply stated, ignoring the slightly horrified, slightly awed stare from her friend.

"Apparently." Ruby's smile looked a little insane below her wide eyes but Belle just licked her lips and occupied herself with calming her hiccups.

"Sooo, does this mean you want French toast tomorrow morning as well?"

Belle stared to nod, then paused to think before changing her mind and shaking her head. "Actually, I've liked everything you've given me to try so I will leave you to continue to surprise me," Belle explained, smiling.

Ruby felt a welling of affection sting her eyes which she blinked away rather quickly so Belle wouldn't notice. "*Cough* Well in that case, prepare to be surprised."

"Hey Ruby. I'm clocked in so you can go when you want." A young blond girl appeared from the backroom and tapped Ruby's shoulder as she passed to go take orders from the customers on the floor.

"Thanks Ash!" Ruby responded before reaching behind her waist to untie the white apron strings. "You ready to go around town, Belle?"

Whipping the apron off, Ruby balled it up in one hand and stepped out from behind the counter to stand beside her charge for the day. Excitedly Belle gulped down the last of the tea in her glass then stood. "Yes! - *hiccup*!"

Ruby chuckled as she led the way to the washroom where she tossed the balled up fabric in her hand into the hamper with the other soiled laundry. Then they exited the diner.

The alleyway was bare of people but the sidewalk in front of the diner seemed to have as much traffic as the road. As the duo strolled to join the crowd of pedestrians, Belle leaned over to whisper a question.

"Why are so many people out this late in the morning?"

Tilting down a bit to accommodate the mild height difference between them, Ruby replied, "It's the weekend. Saturday and Sunday are the two days people can really sleep in because they either don't have work or have a later opening time at their store."

Belle's mouth made an "O" shape as she absorbed the information. By mutual consent, the first stop was the library. Belle actually wanted to show Ruby what she had found out about the inside through her window peeping. The waitress, on the other hand, had a darker reason for returning across the street. The man she had threatened and thrown against the building might have left a clue or scent to follow.

"Ruby! Over here," Belle smiled broadly as she gestured for Ruby to come over to her near the side of the building. "Take a look."

Ruby followed the pointed finger to the barred window with the hand-sized peephole. Throwing the excited woman a skeptical glance, which was only laughed at, Ruby peered through the grimy window and gasped. Her eyesight might not be the best of all the fairytale creatures but with all the light filtering in through the boarded windows she could see the seemingly endless rows of books inside.

"Whoa! I never knew there were so many books in this one place!" Pulling back, Ruby happily let Belle take her place.

"I know!" came Belle's muffled voice. "I hope Rumple will let me inside to browse."

The familiarity with which Belle said the imp's name unsettled Ruby. No good could have befallen Belle to breed a close relationship with him.

Ignoring the unease at the thought of letting Belle owe that man a favor for access to the library, Ruby left Belle at the window while she scanned for clues from yesterday's attempted kidnapping. Nothing obvious caught her eye so she closed them and took a deep breath in through her nose. Staggering back a bit from the bombardment of information she inhaled from all the scents gathering in the air and ground, Ruby placed a hand on the brick of the building to steady herself. Her palm seemed to tingle against the red stone and Ruby focused her nose on it, finding exactly what she was looking for - a clue.

There, right between her ring and middle fingers was a spot of blood.

Ruby felt a wild joy and wanted to throw back her head to howl out her triumph and warn her prey there would be nowhere to hide from her now that she had his blood. Blood, better than scenting sweat or urine, held the very essence of the prey and also indicated a wounded prize. Holding back the feral response by gritting her teeth, Ruby brought her face towards her hand and the blood and took another deep breath through her nose.

"Gotcha," Ruby viciously rumbled as her eyes snapped open.

It was as if the blood had followed its host like a red mist in her golden eyes. The prey had gotten back up after she had ensured Belle's safety and staggered up the street, through downtown Storybrooke, toward the high-end homes on the opposite side of town.

"Ruby?" Belle's voice interrupted Ruby's walk away from the library causing the tall woman to stop and shake her head. Belle tentatively approached her friend and gently laid a hand on her back. "Ruby, where are you going?"

The soothing voice supplemented by the calming touch cleared the red out of Ruby's vision. Relaxing her tense shoulders, Ruby leaned against Belle's hand and sighed. "I found where the guy from yesterday went after he woke up."

Belle sucked in a breath and felt goosebumps run up and down her neck at the thought of yesterday's conflict, but in the warmth of the day and Ruby's steady breathing beneath her hand, Belle felt her fear drain away.

"Then, we should pursue him now while we can."

If Ruby was surprised by Belle's authoritative command, she did not show it and merely nodded. Slipping away from the touch on her back, Ruby turned and motioned to the spot on the building where the blood stained the brick.

"He cut his head when it bounced off the wall," she explained.

Returning to the clue, Ruby glanced at Belle briefly and gave her own order. "I'll lead the way and go slowly enough for you to keep up, but you cannot distract me and you are to follow every instruction I give you. Understand?"

Belle matched the serious tone. "Understood."

Closing her eyes again, Ruby allowed the blood to invade her nostrils and color her path towards her prey. She was vaguely aware of Belle following close behind as she walked the trail, eyes flicking this way and that and nose working efficiently to separate the smell of the blood from all the other scents trying to drown it out. Her prey seemed to linger for a moment in an alley, mingling with another human scent, before continuing on. What was odd was that her prey seemed to then turn around and go the opposite way on the sidewalk across the street.

Belle was grateful that this side of town seemed to have emptied of cars when Ruby almost seemed to jump straight into the road without looking out for vehicles. She paid attention to the surrounding buildings when Ruby had stopped to pace the length of an alleyway. A flower shop stood on the corner next to a bakery and a winery. The alley bisected the stores and led all the way to the next street over. Belle increased her speed when she saw Ruby was even further ahead of her than she had been a moment ago.

It looked like the trail was reaching the end and Belle could see a fierce glint flash in Ruby's eye when the woman sleuth stopped in front of a door beside the entrance to a toy shop.

"He lives here. Wait right there. I'll be back." Ruby's voice was clipped and concentrated.

Belle's eyes widened as Ruby gripped the door knob and twisted viciously. A sharp snap of metal indicated the locking mechanism had been broken. Without a backward glance, Ruby ascended the stair to the apartment above the shop.

Belle stared up the stairwell for a moment but decided it would look less suspicious if she waited beside the door as if hanging out until her friend returns.

'_Which is exactly what I am doing," _she mused as she leaned her butt against the wall on the other side of the toy shop door.

As she waited, Belle began to imagine scenarios of the encounter taking place upstairs. Some involved the mugger/kidnapper crashing through the window to drop at her feet, bruised and probably broken. Others were of Ruby hauling a tied up man down the stairs, bouncing on each step, by leading him like a dog on a leash. Then there were the one or two imaginary outcomes that involved Belle tripping and nailing the bad guy in the crotch when he showed up. She really liked that ending the most.

But Belle was reminded relatively quickly that fact is most often stranger than fiction.

Footsteps in the stairwell alerted Belle to a descending pair of people. Scooting a little further from the door, just in case, Belle held her breath and watched.

First out the door was not the kidnapper but Ruby who stopped just outside the threshold watching the man behind her. Belle held back a gasp at the bruises very colorfully displayed on the man's neck and the bandaged gash on his temple.

'_Those are from yesterday,'_ she realized. But the shiner slowly forcing her would-be kidnapper's left eye shut was new.

When he hesitated leaving the entryway, Ruby snapped her fingers and growled. "Don't test me, Horace."

Horace visibly gulped, wincing at the pain in his swollen throat, before fully exiting the building and facing Belle.

"I-I'm so-sorry, Miss Belle. Please f-forgive me." Horace seemed to shrink in upon himself as if the words were deflating.

Blinking rapidly, Belle looked from the downcast man in front of her to Ruby in askance. The waitress only nodded, letting Belle make the decision as to whether or not she forgave him for scaring and attempting to kidnap her.

Teal eyes grew hard as Belle came to her decision. "Who sent you?" Her commanding tone, although not used in over 28 years, was no less scary than it ever was. This is the voice she used to make the Dark One himself step back in trepidation. Horace did not, could not, stand fast.

"You-Your f-fa-father, my lady!" he stammered out.

The news struck Belle's heart like a dagger. Her mask cracked for an instant, allowing the shock and pain to wrinkle her brow and flatten her lips together. But Belle had weathered such acts of betrayal before and quickly composed herself.

"You are never to come within ten feet of me ever again. You will never speak to me or friends of mine. You are not forgiven," Belle paused to watch Horace squirm then finished. "You are free to go."

She turned away and stalked in the direction of the pawn shop. Lost in her own world, Belle did not notice that Ruby was not following right away. Halfway between the hardware store and the pawn shop, Ruby finally caught up and stopped her friend, concerned.

"Belle?" Ruby tentatively grasped Belle's left hand, halting their footsteps. The shorter woman kept her back turned but Ruby could see a minute shaking in her shoulders that echoed down to her hand.

"Belle, I'm sorry." Ruby did not know what else to say and felt inadequate.

A hitch caught Belle's voice before she steadily replied. "Why are you sorry? You've done nothing wrong." Ruby was going to let go of Belle's hand in the face of her stoicism, but found that despite her tough act Belle needed the comforting contact because she squeezed Ruby's hand hard and didn't let her let go.

"You have been wonderful, Ruby. Please don't let go yet." Belle's whispered plea washed away the uncertainty making the waitress second-guess herself.

Taking the opportunity, Ruby interlocked her fingers with Belle's and nudged her in the shoulder. "I *am* pretty amazing," she bragged, achieving her objective to make the sad woman laugh.

They stayed hand-in-hand until they reached the door to the pawnshop. Belle stopped and turned to Ruby. It was time to explain some things about her relationship with Rumpelstiltskin.

"I spent over a year with Rumple. At first as a payment of debt, then as a maid, and finally as a friend." Belle ignored Ruby's shocked face and continued. "However, we did not part ways…amicably, I should say." Growing silent, Belle turned her head and gazed through the door's little windows into the shadowy interior of the shop. "I loved him, once," Belle quietly confessed. "But he loved power more."

Ruby swallowed hard at the sight of the single tear escaping Belle's eye in the reflection on the window. The loss of a loved one, by either death or choice, is never easy. Overcome with sympathy, Ruby rested a comforting hand on Belle's shoulder and confessed to her own experience with love.

"I fell in love with Peter, a young man of my village. We were planning to elope but a monster was terrorizing the village on nights of the full moon…" Trailing off, Ruby worked up the courage to say what she had to say next. "Peter…was killed by the monster. I ate him."

The confession was so unexpected that Belle openly gasped and turned away from the shop entrance to face her friend. _'The horror she must have felt to wake to her love dead by her own hands.'_ Belle could not comprehend that feeling but her thoughts never once warned of fear. Ruby, no matter what happened in the past, is her friend. This revelation changes nothing as far as Belle was concerned.

"Ruby. I'm so sorry." Belle's hands cupped the waitress's slouched shoulders and squeezed them. "We'll have to sit down and talk about whom we were and the trials that we faced, but for now, all you need to know from me is that you are no monster." Leaning forward, Belle hugged the taller woman close, allowing Ruby to dry her tears on the cloth of her dress. "I like you. I promise we will talk."

Ruby held on to Belle even tighter and mumbled into the warm skin of her neck, "I like you, too. Thanks Belle."

They hung on to each other for a moment more before letting go and returning to the task at hand.

The three little bells on the door chimed when it swung open. From the back an accented male voice called out, "Be with you in a moment."

Neither woman said anything in return. They simply walked up to the counter straight across from the entrance and took a look around at all of the items gathering dust on the shelves. Belle's eyes paused for a moment on the golden dragon figurine and remembered two friends who were on a quest to free their princess from a cursed sleep. She hoped the young Chinawoman and her princely companion had succeeded.

"What 'cha looking at?" Ruby had lost interest in the trinkets and weapons that gleamed in the soft lighting of the shop, so she returned her attention to Belle. Seeing her friend so intensely preoccupied sparked Ruby's curiosity so she nudged Belle's shoulder as she asked her question.

Pointing out the gold dragon, about a forearm in length from snout to tail tuft, Belle just commented that it reminded her of a friend she met long ago. Ruby followed the finger and saw the dragon figurine but it was the object the dragon sat on that arrested Ruby's movements. A very familiar blood red embroidered cloak was folded neatly on the wooden shelf and being used as a soft pedestal for the foreign ornament.

Belle did not notice Ruby's sudden tenseness because Rumpelstiltskin had limped into the room.

"Belle."

The princess wasn't surprised that Rumple seemed a little startled to see her, especially after she had told him she needed time to think about them and what course their relationship would take next. "Hello, Rumpelstiltskin. How are you today?"

"As well as any other day I suppose," he replied with a shrug. "So what can I do for you, dearie?"

Smiling, Belle leaned over the counter a bit and excitedly imparted some news. "I found the library!"

Rumpelstiltskin could not help but give a crooked grin in return to his lady's glee. Belle continued to explain. "I asked around about how I might gain entrance and your name came up. Therefore, I'm here to ask if I may apply for the position of Storybrooke's librarian."

Rumple thought about what Belle was asking for. "Well, it has been closed for quite a while, and since the beast in the basement is banished, I suppose it is time to open the library to the public."

"Then I volunteer!" Smiling brilliantly, the princess declared her interest in applying for the job. "After all, if I'm going to be a citizen of this world I may as well surround myself with the things I love, right, Ruby?"

The waitress did not hear her.

"Ruby?" Belle stepped close and called her friend's name once more. "Ruby!"

The brunette jerked back and shook her head, moving away from Belle. Her sharp eyes zeroed in on the man behind the counter who was sneering at her. "Give it back, Rumpelstiltskin. My cloak is not yours to keep."

"Oh, I beg to differ, dearie," Rumple smugly strolled over to the shelf and gently lifted the dragon to pull out the red fabric. With a flourish the imp unfurled the cloak across the counter displaying the richness of the cloth and the beautiful embroidery that wrapped like a spider web from hem to hem. "This particular garment was traded to keep a young girl safe from a rampaging wolf," Rumple's grin grew wicked as he continued. "Once the wolf no longer appeared the cloak returned to its maker."

Baring her teeth with a clenched jaw, Ruby glared at him while growling out, "And yet the wolf never truly disappeared."

Waving a hand, as if sweeping away a fly, Rumple dismissed her attempt at a technicality. "Yes it did…for 28 years. Which ended the deal."

How she hated the game of words; Ruby was too honest and many of the others dealt in half-truths which left her backed in a corner more often than not. It seemed she didn't have a choice. "What deal do we have to make then for you to give me back my cloak?" Trying to relax her stance to calm the anger so she made a clearheaded choice, Ruby waited for the deal-broker to decide what he wanted from her.

"I'm afraid we don't. You have nothing I want." Deftly Rumple refolded the cloak and stashed it under the counter then vanished into the backroom.

Ruby's mouth dropped open, stunned at the blatant brush-off, before scowling ferociously. "What. The. Hell!?" Fed up with games, Ruby reached over the counter to grab her cloak.

"Wait! Ruby!" Belled tried to warn her friend but it was too late.

Howling in pain, Ruby clutched her hand to her chest trying in vain to deaden the fiery pain that ate at her skin. Belle immediately grabbed Ruby's wrist and forced the appendage to leave its haven. Unbending the fingers so they were no longer curled into a fist, Belle ignored Ruby's cry of pain and blew softly on her skin from fingertips to wrist.

Ruby's eyes were blurred with tears of pain but the sight of Belle's pursed lips so close to her touch and her cool breath evoked a different fire under her skin. The pain faded slowly and Ruby blinked her vision clear to see a very unhappy princess.

"You should know better, Ruby." Belle watched impassively as the taller woman bowed her head, waiting a moment for her scolding to leave a small mark of shame before squeezing the hand still in her grasp. "I have learned, too, not to touch the possessions of certain people," she admitted when Ruby looked at her again.

Sighing, Belle tugged Ruby's hand until it was the perfect height for an apologetic kiss, then let it go. "I had reached into a cabinet of Rumple's to clean it of dust one day near the beginning of my service to him. At that time we weren't friends and it was two days later that he lifted the curse."

Ruby's eyes widened so much that she looked a little comical, giving Belle a short giggle. "My, what big eyes you have, Ruby."

Sobering from the moment of levity, the princess scowled at the doorway to the back room. "It is a nasty little trap, Rumple. Why do you still use it?"

"To keep unruly customers from stealing from me," Rumpelstiltskin calmly explained as he walked back into the shop. "I had a little trouble with thieves even before the curse broke." Placing a small white box on the counter in front of Belle, Rumple ignored the murderous glower the mutt was aiming at him. "So, I simply put in a better security system."

Smirking, Rumple lifted the lid of the box and tilted it so Belle could look inside. In the bed of cotton batting laid a key attached to a tag. The tag had the word 'Library' inscribed on it. "Here you are. One key to the library for the new Librarian of Storybrooke."

Ruby had to smile lightly at the bright grin stretching Belle's mouth, and chuckle at the reverent way Belle caressed the metal key with one finger. She fully expected Belle to grab and pocket the gift with expressions of gratitude flowing from her lips.

Imagine Ruby _and_ Rumpelstiltskin's surprise when Belle took the box lid and replaced it over the key before leaning over the counter to snatch the large flowing red cloak.

"I have changed my mind, Rumple. I need a new cloak and I think scarlet is a beautiful color." Innocently Belle just smiled at the gobsmacked duo.

Rumpelstiltskin recovered first with Ruby close behind.

"What? Belle?"

"Belle, you don't have to."

Holding up a hand, Belle asked for and received silence. Leveling a stern look at the man across the counter, she scolded him. "Really Rumple. Ruby has told me enough to know that her cloak is an important part of her life. Do not argue technicalities when you, too, struggle with your 'beast.'"

The older man had the grace to look shamefaced for a moment.

Turning to Ruby, Belle continued to scold. "And you!"

The waitress flinched and looked down, already dreading what truths will be spoken.

"There must come a time when you will no longer use magic as a crutch." Even as Belle said this she slid the cloak around Ruby's shoulders and secured the clasp. "You are strong, Ruby. Don't be afraid of using that strength on yourself."

The moment the heavy red fabric touched her body, Ruby let out a sigh. _'Caged once more,'_ she thought relieved.

But Belle's words struck a chord too. There was a time, long ago, when she only used the cloak to keep herself warm. The Wolf was fully under her control, then.

'_It will be again,'_ Ruby vowed to herself as she nodded and thanked Belle for her generosity. She spared Rumpelstiltskin a neutral expression, which was returned with a smaller sneer than usual.

"Thank you, Rumple," Belle smiled drawing a reluctant genuine smile from the imp and causing him to reach out for her hand.

He pulled her closer to the counter and placed a kiss on the back of her hand before turning her palm up and placing his gift to her in her grasp. "Storybrooke still needs a librarian," he simply stated.

Ruby, fully aware of her fledgling friendship with Belle, could not help but feel a little green with envy as Belle gasped, squealed, and gave Rumple a kiss on the cheek. All that affection over a small key when Ruby could have just broken down the library door then replaced it with a new lock. _'Stupid Imp.'_

While Ruby tried to reign in her unruly possessiveness of Belle, the newly appointed librarian tugged on the silent waitress' cloak. "Come on, Ruby! Let's go explore the library!"

And just like that, all her negative feelings vanished like smoke in the wind. Striding over to the door, Ruby opened it and swept a bow. "Ladies first."

A wide smile accompanied her gesture giving Belle the impression of a wolf-in-sheep's clothing. But this wolf wanted friendship rather than a meal and Belle was more than happy to trust the woman inside.

* * *

*DING* "Order up!"

Ruby swept by the serving window, blew Tiana a kiss, dodged the swipe from her spatula, and laughingly took the food-laden plates to their appropriate tables.

It was another typical day in Storybrooke and the diner was just seeing its first wave of lunch-rush customers. Ruby did not mind though because Belle had promised she would stop by for lunch. Then the two of them were to go to the library and finish dusting all the surfaces in the building.

When she and the newly instated Librarian of Storybrooke had first opened the doors to the library Ruby almost asphyxiated from sneezing constantly and even Belle had to hold her breath against the overwhelming amount of dust everywhere. After they had aired out the interior as much as possible Ruby had approached Granny about taking afternoons off to help her friend clean up. The old matron had taken one look at the pair and grumbled about making Ruby clean the Inn too. So, Ruby spent afternoons with Belle in the library and Belle spent evenings with Ruby at the Inn. Granted, it was work but neither woman would complain.

*Ding* "Order up!" Tiana's voice and the sharp impact of metal on metal snapped Ruby out of daydreaming and back to work. She still had a few hours before Belle was to come by.

Those hours ticked by slowly but surely, but Belle never showed.

Suddenly time was moving too fast and Ruby got more and more anxious. Even Granny was glancing up every few minutes to scan out the windows for the familiar image of Ruby's crush.

'_What is holding her up?'_ Ruby wondered every few minutes. She had almost convinced herself that Belle had gotten lost in the book she had taken from the library just yesterday when Charming walked in with Rumpelstiltskin.

Immediately Ruby's hackles rose and her gaze did not leave the odd duo even as she continued to wipe down the counter. They knew something about why Belle wasn't here.

"Ruby," David greeted.

"Hey Charming. What's up?"

Ruby was not in the mood to exchange pleasantries and got right to the point. David seemed to appreciate it and explained.

"We're looking for someone and last anyone knew she was staying here. Have you seen a woman named Belle?"

Ruby sucked in a breath and debated confirming whether or not Bell was living at the Inn. "I know her," Ruby said slowly. "Belle and I were to go clean the library this afternoon but she never showed up."

Rumpelstiltskin interrupted. "She was to meet me earlier this morning and when she missed our appointment I went to the sheriff."

Ruby snorted. "So you aren't hiding her in your basement?"

The old magic user narrowed his dark eyes at the waitress. "I assure you, Miss Lucas," he spat out. "I am less likely to 'collect' her than you are to eat her."

He definitely struck a nerve.

"*SMACK* How dare you suggest that, Imp!" Ruby roared slamming her hands on the countertop and leaning forward menacingly with her teeth bared in a growl.

Mr. Gold sneered and would have escalated the situation had David not stepped in to diffuse the tension.

"Enough! Both of you. We are here to find Belle, not quibble over your relationships with her." Turning directly to his friend, David pinned her with a look. "Can you help us at all?"

Pulling back, scowling, Ruby paced the narrow lane behind the bar.

"By all means, take your time, Dearie," Gold clipped out getting tired of watching the wolf-girl waste time. His companions both threw him unamused looks but ignored him otherwise.

A thought struck Ruby on her next turn when a waft of bacon cooking made its way to her nose. "Smell," she said out loud as she lurched to a stop.

"What?"

Excited Ruby threw herself out from behind the counter bar and bolted for the hallway in the back leading to the Inn. The men were equally perplexed when only a moment later she came careening back in with a maroon shawl in hand and thrust it out proudly.

"Her scent!" Ruby announced then brought the fabric up to her face and took a big whiff. Her eyes flickered between green and gold as she refreshed her memory of Belle's unique personal scent.

David got it first. "Of course!"

Then Mr. Gold. "Well?"

Taking off her apron, Ruby laid it down on one of the stools and called back to Tiana. "Tia! I'm out to help the Sheriff. Let Granny know, will ya?"

Tiana poked her head out the kitchen and scowled. "Your tips are all mine today, Missy."

Grinning, the waitress happily agreed, then turned back to the sheriff and the pawnbroker waiting by the door.

"Ready. Let's go."

* * *

Belle's trail had hot spots that made sense - the Inn, the diner, the library, and the pawnshop - and tended to fade in between her usual haunts. Luckily Ruby was a seasoned hunter and could pick out the freshest scent from the old lingering ones.

"She left the Inn this morning…but turned away from there…"

It was interesting for onlookers to see Ruby work through her scenting and processing. Once the trio left Granny's Diner, Ruby led them to the Inn as the logical place to start since neither she nor Gold had heard from the woman yet today. The trail did not follow the expected pattern because it went nowhere near the Library or the pawnshop. Ruby's head almost seemed to jerk the rest of her body in the opposite direction of town.

Every so often, especially in heavily trafficked areas, Ruby would stop to bring the shawl to her nose, refreshing Belle's scent in her mind so she could pinpoint the smudged trail once more.

Ruby mused out loud the whole time. "So weird…she has a direction in mind but…she's dancing around the goal destination…she's thinking even…worrying…"

David agreed with Ruby's assessment as they seemed to meander from street to sidewalk and back again, but always forward toward some place.

Rumpelstiltskin had a growing suspicion about where Belle might have gone but kept it to himself to see how things will play out.

When the toy shop and Horace's apartment came into view, Ruby started to feel a little frantic thinking Belle had been kidnapped again, but a sharp bend in the trail proved her fear wrong. Belle stayed away from that side of the street and for once stayed in a direct line for the remainder of the journey.

The moment Ruby walked past the flower shop she sneezed and lost Belle's scent. She stepped away from all the floral pheromones in the air around the shop and tried to recapture her trail but there was nothing there.

Turning in circles a few times, Ruby shook her head and concluded, "Trail ends here."

As one, the trio zeroed in on the flower shop.

"I know what happened," Gold revealed. "This is her father's shop."

At first his words created a sense of relief in Ruby's shoulders but when he motioned them to leave, her worries came back with reinforcements.

"I'm going in too," she blurted out when David seemed to consider leaving the investigation. Not waiting for either to reply, Ruby pulled open the door to the cheerful chime of a bell hanging from the frame.

* * *

"Be right there," a voice called from the back as she stepped into the flower shop.

"Dad," Belle called back.

The resulting flurry of noise and curses as Maurice bumped and dumped his wares while trying to get to Belle as fast as he could drew a reluctant smile from the woman's face despite the grave nature of why she was here.

"Belle!? Oh Belle." Maurice engulfed his only child in a hug relieved to have her with him again. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"I missed you too," she admitted returning the hug and feeling tears rise. But then she remembered why she was here in the first place and stepped away. "You sent a thug to kidnap me," she accused. "Why?"

She watched as her father wrung his hands and looked down before meeting her head on. "When the curse broke I looked for you. When I saw that you had been taken prisoner by that horrible beast again I sent a man to snatch you back and bring you here." Maurice began pacing. "But he failed because the wolf-girl interfered-"

"_Ruby_," Belle interrupted, "saved me. If you had simply come talk to me yourself like a civilized man, you would have learned that it wasn't Rumpelstiltskin who kept me prisoner for 28 years."

Maurice stopped pacing but his lips remained thin and eyes resolute. "Even so, he has done horrendous things, Belle, and I'm sorry but I can't let you be a victim of his again."

"What do you…! Mmmph!"

A large hand came from behind and muffled Belle's voice with a piece of fabric quickly tied around her head as a tall thin man used her shock to grab Belle's wrists and lift her off the ground.

She tried to kick and squirm away but he held fast, grunting through the pain and carrying her off.

"I'm sorry Belle but I have to protect you. Jasper will see you off to safety while I delay the Evil One so you can escape."

Belle shrieked and tried even harder to get away but all too soon she was stuffed in the back of a van and carted off. She banged on the door and the walls, ripping the cloth from her mouth and screaming but the van never stopped and there was nothing she could do at the moment.

"Fuck."

The softly whispered expletive preceded the tears. Frustration and grief warred in her mind. She was caught, _again_, between a rock and a hard place with no choice but to wait and see what came next.

Wiping her face on her sleeve, Belle took some deep breaths and fought back the depression threatening to make her passively accept her fate. She would not let that happen. She would face this as she had before, with intelligent words and as clear of a mind as she could make.

Not too much longer the van rolled to a stop and Belle felt the vehicle rock and shudder as the driver exited. The light that flooded the dark cabin make her flinch but she kept her back straight from where she sat facing her captor.

"Now, I don't want no trouble from you," Jasper warned as he opened the doors. "Come quietly and I won't hurt you."

Belle sneered. "The other guy should have told you. I don't do quiet."

Jasper grinned, showing off colored and crooked teeth. "Ah, but this time the wolf-bitch isn't here to protect you."

Standing up, Belle came to the edge of the bumper before jumping down and tackling Jasper.

"Oof!"

She scrambled to get back on her feet and start running but Jasper latched on to her ankle and tugged throwing the woman off balance and on to her knees.

"Let go!" She kicked out clipping the kidnapper's shoulder. But he didn't and all too quickly Belle was being frog-marched into a cave with tracks.

"Feisty princess ain'cha. But ol' Jasper wants to get paid. So you," he lifts her into a metal cart on the tracks and slaps a pair of handcuffs around one wrist and the handle on the cart. "are gonna take a little ride."

"Where?" Belle asked, pulling on the restraint feeling just a bit frantic.

"At the end of the mine you'll pass over the city limit and your memories of this place and the past will be erased."

Forget frantic, Belle was fucking scared.

"What! No! Please don't do this!"

Jasper reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a small silver key. "This will open those cuffs. I'll leave you to search for it in the cart." He tossed the key into the bottom of the miner's cart.

Belle tried to catch it but she wasn't used to using her left hand and it tumbled into the rubbish below her feet. She reached down and tried to find it but a quick *clunk* and the squeal of brakes being released made her stand back up and clutch the sides of the vehicle as it sped up and careened down the tracks.

"HELP!" she cried out. "Somebody please!"

Wide terrified teal eyes slammed shut as a very obvious sign loomed under the lantern light. The city's magical line was coming up - fast!

"Shit!"

Then, the harsh screech of brakes being applied and the forward thrust of momentum jolted her. The cart had stopped just short of the line.

"What the?!"

Another jolt and the tingle of magic along her skin saw Belle being pulled back toward the entrance to the miner's cave.

"Whoa!" Looking over her shoulder she saw four figures near the entrance, one with his hand outstretched.

"Belle!" A flash of red interrupted her view and the captive woman found herself held in a tight embrace. "Are you okay? We got here as quickly as we could." Ruby pulled back to look over the woman still cuffed to the cart for damage.

"Get this thing _off me_!" Belle's voice was shaky but so serious in tone that Ruby instinctively reached for the cuffs and gave a vicious tug on the end attached to the cart. But it wouldn't budge.

*Clink* "There," Rumpelstiltskin waved, destroying the restraint with magic before Ruby could try again.

Belle immediately scrambled out of the car and rubbed her wrist before aiming a furious glare at her father.

"I'm sorry Belle, I just - "

"_Quiet_!" Belle snapped then took a big breath. "I am so angry right now. Don't talk to me. In fact you will not come near or speak to me until I approach you first."

Maurice shrunk back, never having truly encountered his daughter's temper before.

When her father couldn't meet her eyes, Belle moved on. "And you, Rumpelstiltskin. My answer is still no. You will respect my decision or suffer the same consequences as my father."

"But Belle…"

"_No_!"

The imp quieted and looked away, resting more heavily on his cane at feeling the fury in her snap.

Lastly Belle turned to David and Ruby. Jasper was cuffed and seated on the rocky ground with the Sheriff watching him like a hawk. Ruby, however, had eyes only for Belle.

"What do you need?" She asked earnestly, wanting to provide comfort to her friend.

Fighting back a sob since this was neither the time nor the place to let loose her fears, Belle marched past them all, straight for the exit. "To go home."

* * *

Ruby paced back and forth behind the counter, constantly stopping and gazing longingly at the back entrance to the Inn.

***Ding*** "Order up!" Tiana called from the kitchen. Minutes later the beautiful cook towel-whipped the waitress across the butt.

"Hey!" Ruby growled as she whirled around and scowled with her face red from embarrassment.

"No, 'hey' about it, Rubes. You either call in one of the others to take your shift right now or I am calling Granny." Ruby pouted. "And after you deliver the latest orders you are gonna march yourself up those stairs and plant your ass at Belle's door. Poor girl got kidnapped, I don't think she really wants to be alone no matter what she told you." Tiana uncrossed her arms and returned to the grill having said her piece.

Taking a deep breath Ruby pulled herself together, doing her job and making sure the food arrived to their tables while waiting for Ashley to come relieve her for the rest of the day.

"Thanks Ash," Ruby said when she handed over her apron.

"No problem."

Sticking her head through the kitchen door, the waitress blew Tiana a kiss. "Mwah! You are a gem, Tia!"

"Get outta my kitchen!" Tiana called at the retreating woman with a fond smile.

She did just that, bounding up the stairs to Belle's room and doing what her friend suggested – sitting right down facing the door and tapping on it. "Hey Belle. I know you said you'd be okay this afternoon but I just don't want you to worry about anyone bothering you so I'm gonna stay right here and guard the door." Ruby put her ear to the door when she heard shuffling footsteps.

"Ruby," Belle sounded tired and stuffed up and Ruby could smell the salty tears even now.

"I'm here," she promised while tapping softly on the door again.

The shuffling got louder until a small thud resonated through the wood. "This is very ...frustrating," Belle started, voice tight. "I shouldn't be scared since I know who is behind all of this nonsense. But I am!"

The confession shot a flare of anxiety through Ruby's body and it escaped in the form of a whine. "Belle, please," she swallowed the whine back so her words could take its place. "I want to give you a hug. Let me in?"

The next thing Ruby knows is the weight and force of Belle in her arms sobbing out her fear and sadness. "What if my father tries again? What if he succeeds in making me cross the magic barrier? How can I stop feeling so afraid whenever Rumple doesn't listen to me?" The questions rode on the fear Belle harbored since she first became a prisoner – helpless in the face of the whims of another, more powerful, manipulative being.

The squeeze of arms around her waist, however, brought a sense of calm to her frayed nerves and Belle sighed as the last of her tears fell onto Ruby's shoulder.

"I-I don't know how to make you feel safer except to promise that nothing will stop me from finding you if you get lost or taken. And for anyone to take you away they will have to go through me first," Ruby growled, eyes itching as they turned golden.

"I couldn't ask you to do that," Belle pulled away but kept her arms around her friend. If she was startled to see the gold instead of green in Ruby's eyes, she didn't let on.

Ruby snorted and grinned. "You don't have to. Now, let me make you lunch since you skipped breakfast."

It was like magic to watch Ruby make a magnificent meal out of the meager items in Belle's pantry and Belle expressed her gratitude many times over. "Mmmm, so good," Belle hummed and mumbled praise as she devoured her deluxe sandwich, drawing a blush to Ruby's cheeks.

"It's just a sandwich. No need to make it sound as if I slaved over a king's feast."

Sipping her iced tea loudly, Belle smacked her lips in satisfaction and declared, "Any king would be lucky to have you make him a meal."

Biting her lower lip while gazing at her friend through her bangs Ruby tentatively suggested something...different. "And a princess? Would she count herself lucky to have me...cook for her?"

There was nothing subtle about the true nature of her question and Belle would not insult her friend by pretending otherwise. Taking a moment to finish chewing and swallow, Belle thought about Ruby's question. "It is not unheard of," she began, stirring the ice in her tea. "For royalty to fall in love with a peasant."

Before Ruby could interrupt Belle dropped her hand from her straw to lay over Ruby's on the table. "So, don't think for a second you couldn't...cook for one." The smile on her lips was both shy and earnest. "Just make sure to be honest with your feelings and ask for honesty in return."

Ruby stared at her absorbing what she said then grinned with tears welling in her eyes. "Thank you, Belle. I think I needed to hear that."

Both women took the time to regain their composure; Ruby fetched more iced tea and Belle finished her sandwich.

The rest of the evening was spent planning the continued renovation of the library and at least one visit to the Rabbit Hole for a girl's night with more of Ruby's friends so Belle wouldn't feel so alone in town.

"You'll have to wait to meet Snow and Emma. They got, um, sucked into a hat," Ruby grimaced.

"That doesn't sound good," Belle's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Yeah. Charming, er, David is trying to get in contact with the Enchanted Forest but it's proving challenging without the help of a magician or sorceress." Sighing, Ruby sat back in the chair. "And the amount of magical items that actually work in this place are few and far between."

A sour look twisted Belle's lips. "Or they come at too high a price," she added.

Ruby nodded. "Thank you, by the way, for helping me get my cloak back."

Belle waved the thanks away. "Just as long as you do your best to regain control of your wolf then consider it a good way to keep the winter cold at bay."

"Deal."

* * *

TBC


End file.
